Incense match

ABSTRACT

An incense device is provided and comprises an elongated extruded incense sleeve having a central axial opening formed in the incense sleeve. A wooden match having a stem portion and a head is associated with the incense sleeve. Particularly, the stem portion of the match is inserted into the opening formed within the incense sleeve so as to leave the match head spaced from one end portion of the sleeve.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an incense match and, moreparticularly, to a method of making such an incense match.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Incense has been popular in Asian cultures for many centuries, and hasbeen present in the United States for a long time as well. While the1960s saw the use of incense skyrocket by counter-culture elements,incense has now moved into the mainstream. Incense provides not only apleasant aroma in which to function, but also may serve as aninsecticide or insect repellant. The particular combination of elementswithin the fumigant allows different aromas and/or different propertiesto be incorporated into different incense. Additionally, incense coupledwith acupuncture is believed, by many, to promote healing. Additionally,a whole new field of holistic medicine, entitled Aroma Therapy, has alsocome to relatively recent attention by the efforts of its practitioners.Thus, it is easily seen that incense has a myriad of uses, both from apleasure standpoint and, potentially, from a medicinal standpoint.

With the numerous uses of incense available, numerous efforts to arriveat a convenient technique for dispensing or burning incense have arisen.Incense may come in pellets, tabs, or stick form, such as a joss stick.Additionally, numerous incense-burning apparati have, likewise, beendeveloped and patented. These apparati have given rise tospecially-formed incense products which work essentially only with theparticular incense-burning product. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,916to Gardner et al. shows a particular incense-supporting apparatus with avertical rod with a cylindrical incense fitted thereover. The incensemust burn of its own accord. While the various and sundry products andincense forms do function well, there remains a need for a moreuniversal incense-delivery technique. One such universalincense-delivery technique was suggested by U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,861 toSadahiro, which showed a fumigant forming a body and one end of thefumigant covered by a match head. However, the '861 patent relies on thefumigant to be self-burning. While many fumigants are, in fact,self-burning, greater variety in the aroma provided by the incense ispossible if the incense is not required to be self-burning. That is,more flame resistant aroma particles may be inserted into the fumigantif there is no requirement that they burn.

In short, there remains a need for a universal incense distributionproduct that has properties which do not require the fumigant to sustaina self-burning activity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The shortcomings of the prior art are addressed by a hollow cylindricalincense product which is especially manufactured to fit over the shaftof a match. In particular, a conventional wooden match is preferred.Thus, the wood of the match provides the energy to char the incense asthe wood combusts. This frees the incense for more aromatic elements anddiminishes the need for the fumigant itself to be self-burning.

In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, there isprovided an incense device that comprises an elongated extruded incensesleeve having a central opening formed within the sleeve. A wood matchhaving a stem portion and a head is inserted into the incense sleeve.More particularly, the stem portion is inserted into the central openingof the incense sleeve such that the head of the match remains exposedand spaced from one end of the incense sleeve.

Further, the present invention entails a method of manufacturing orforming an incense device. This entails mixing an incense compositionand extruding the composition to form an elongated incense producthaving a central opening extending axially through the incense product.Thereafter the incense product is cut into selected lengths and thensubjected to a finishing operation. Next, individual ignition devices,in one embodiment in the form of a match, are inserted into the centralopening. In the case of a match, the match stem is inserted a selecteddistance into the central opening such that the match head that forms apart of the ignition device remains exposed and spaced from one endportion of the incense sleeve.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent and obvious from a study of the following description and theaccompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the incense device of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the incense device of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With further reference to the drawings, the incense device of thepresent invention is shown therein and indicated generally by thenumeral 10.

Viewing the incense device 10 in more detail, it is seen that the sameincludes an incense sleeve indicated generally by the numeral 12. Aswill be appreciated from subsequent portions of this disclosure, theincense sleeve 12 is formed or manufactured through an extrusionprocess. More particularly, basic compositional components of theincense sleeve are mixed together and then extruded to form the incensesleeve. As indicated in FIG. 2, the incense sleeve 12 in the embodimentillustrated herein is generally cylindrical in shape and includes acentral opening or a central bore that extends axially from one end tothe other end of the incense sleeve.

After the incense sleeve 12 is manufactured, a match, indicatedgenerally by the numeral 14, is inserted into the incense sleeve. Thematch 14 includes a stem portion 16 and a head or ignition portion 18.Note in the drawings where the stem portion 16 is inserted downwardlythrough the central opening of the incense sleeve 12 such that the head18 of the match 14 is spaced outwardly from one end portion of theincense sleeve 12. Thus, it is appreciated that a portion of the stem 16actually extends exposed between one end of the incense sleeve 12 andthe head 18.

In the embodiment illustrated herein, the stem portion 16 of the matchis wood. Therefore, by striking the match and igniting the match head18, results in the stem portion burning. As the stem portion burns downtoward the incense sleeve 12, it is appreciated that the burning of thematch stem 16 will result in the incense sleeve being burned, or atleast substantially heated, such that the incense sleeve begins to emitan aroma.

The basic components for the incense sleeve are incense powder, sawdustand incense resin. These materials in conventional fashion will be mixedin a tank with water. Thereafter, the mixed material will be directedinto an extruder that will produce the incense sleeve 12.

The fragrance utilized will generally be made of an oil base. Manydifferent aromas can be selected, including fruit and floral fragrances.For example, fragrances of apple, vanilla, cherry, bayberry, strawberry,jasmine and lavender are appropriate for incorporation into the incensestick.

Basically, the incense composition referred to above is mixed, and themixed product is extruded into an elongated incense product. Thisproduct is cut into selected lengths. After that, the individual incensesticks, or sleeves, are subject to heat for purposes of drying.Thereafter, the top and bottom of the cut sleeves are subjected to abrushing machine so as to form smooth opposed ends about the incensesleeves.

Once a fragrance has been selected, the fragrance is typically a 100%,by weight, based oil fragrance and to that there is added alcohol and afixative. In one particular embodiment of the present invention, theoil-based fragrance is diluted by adding the fixative and alcohol.Typically the total fragrance mixture, including the fixative and thealcohol, will comprise, by weight, approximately 30% oil-basedfragrance, 10% fixative, and 60% alcohol.

Once the alcohol mixture has been prepared, the extruded incense sleeves12 are dipped into the diluted fragrances for a selected time period.Then the incense is removed from the fragrance composition and allowedto dry.

Therefore, from the foregoing discussion and specification, it isappreciated that the incense device of the present invention has manyadvantages over incense sticks of the prior art. By incorporating amatch structure into the incense, it follows that the stem of the matchforms a structural support within the incense itself. Further, becausethe stem of the match burns in response to the match being ignited, itfollows that the match stem itself provides energy, in the form of heat,for activating or burning the incense sleeve.

The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specificways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit andthe essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodimentsare, therefore, to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and notrestrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalencyrange of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An incense device comprising: an elongatedextruded incense sleeve having a central opening formed therein; and awood match having a stem portion and a head with the stem portion beinginserted and held within the central opening of the incense sleeve andwherein the head of the match is exposed and projects from the incensesleeve; and wherein the incense device is manufactured by a process ofextruding an incense composition to form an elongated product; cuttingthe incense product into selected lengths to form an array of incensesleeves; and then inserting a match into each incense sleeve andextending the match into the sleeve such that the head of the match isleft exposed and spaced outwardly from the incense sleeve such that thestem portion of the match extends between the match head and the incensesleeve.
 2. The incense device of claim 1 wherein the incense compositionincludes an incense powder, sawdust and incense resin.
 3. The incensedevice of claim 2 wherein the incense product, after extrusion, issubjected to heat.